The Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians (MAPP)has developeda Postpartum Depression Projectin recognition of the fact that postpartum depression is under-diagnosed and under-treated and can have long-term adverseeffects on women and children.MAPP received a grant from the American Psychiatric Association to provide training programs and easy access to educational materials about postpartum depression throughout the state of Maine. They now have psychiatrists who provide educational presentations in the form of grand rounds and visits to OB/GYN and other practices. They have sponsoredtwo large trainings on the topic and have developed patient educational materials and posters. The are now working to get media coverage of the issue in their state and to develop training sessions for emergency room workers who do crisis evaluations.

"We really emphasize the fact that treatment for the mother is also an early intervention for a child and that early recognition and intervention is most effective for moms,"said Dr. P. Lynn Ouellette, an officer of MAPP and chair ofMAPP's Postpartum Depression Project.

Their ultimate goal is to increase the recognition and treatment of mood disorders both during pregnancy and the postpartum period and to encourage collaboration between psychiatry and other healthcare providers.